Three of four weeks
by Minkey222
Summary: Merlin was hardly ever in Camelot, he was always out of town on 'personal business'. He only came home for 1 week at the end of every month. Arthur is fine with this, until Merlin comes riding into the citadel at midnight carrying a small object. AU {One Shot} arwen and freylin.


**Hello my friends, long time no see. I have been working on some new stuff for ya'll, I promised, but somehow I manage to procrastinate from writing by writing, so this is what this it then. If you didn't know then this is an AU where Arthur lives and Merlin's magic is out in the open. He had brought Freya back to life and married her and had done all the things that married couples did bacck then. That included having a baby.**

 **I Do Not, under any** **circumstances** **, own Merlin, for he is owned by the producers at the BBC.**

 ** _Enjoy_**

There has been the same arrangement for the past year or so since Merlin's magic was revealed, he was announced court sorcerer -Warlock- and magic was once more a part of Camelot. For three weeks or so Merlin would be out of Camelot on ' _Personal business'_ and he would come back to Camelot at first light on the first day of the last week of the month. Arthur was fine with this. He knew that Merlin had his own affairs to deal with, other than Arthur of course! When Merlin first went off on his monthly trip, Arthur became paranoid and was struck almost incoherent with fear that Merlin had been captured, was being held hostage and being tortured somewhere far away. But when Merlin explained that this would become a common, almost ritual, occurrence, Arthur felt a bit more at ease. Plus Merlin assured him further by saying that if he didn't return by the last week of the month he was officially allowed to be worried and send out a search party or what every a king does when his court sorcerer goes missing. Arthur just let it happen for now on. Merlin kept to his word and never missed a second of his week-long stay in Camelot. Merlin was more than capable to look after himself anyway!

Because of the precision of timing that Merlin seemed to have developed since he was Arthur's manservant, it came as a shock when he saw a very familiar brown horse riding through the citadel gates and towards the courtyard, at midnight, a week before he was supposed to arrive home. He was even more surprised when he saw the recognisable ebony haired and pale skinned boy get off his horse, cradling a small object. _Perhaps he was injured._ Arthur thought _Perhaps there is a threat to Camelot or himself!_ Images of his wife, who was not as pregnant as she was a week ago, his friend and citizens flashed in his mind. He could not let any harm befall them! He sub-consciously grabbed his sword and ran out to meet his friend and adviser in the courtyard.

Merlin galloped through the woods, as fast as his horse could go, hugging the small bundle close to his chest to protect it from any harm. He slowed and looked upward. The moon was right overhead, signalling that it was midnight. This didn't faze Merlin in the slightest. Since he started his monthly escapades he has been known to stay up until the early hours of the morning. This was unusual for Merlin as, seeing he was once a manservant, albeit as bad one, but a servant nonetheless, he knew the importance and need for sleep. But the need for sleep was over powered by a much stronger force, especially in these past few days. The small object in his gripped stirred slightly, before becoming subdued once more. He had to get to Camelot quickly, it was too cold out here.

He rode up the cobbled streets of the familiar place. He silently guided his horse through an unused passage and up into the main courtyard of the castle. He slowed his horse and jumped off silently. He pulled the object closer to his chest and looked around. Thankfully he hadn't awoken anybody. Or so he thought until he saw Arthur, who was looking very concerned, running towards him.

"Merlin! You're home early!" Arthur shouted excitedly.

Merlin hushed him. "Arthur! Not so loud! You'll wake all of Camelot at the volume that you are shouting!" Merlin said quietly.

"Why have you returned early? Is all well? Camelot's not under attack again is it?" Arthur said, adorning the concerned face from earlier.

"No Arthur. All is well." Merlin said dismissively. "Now if you would excuse me. I would like to sleep tonight" He tried to push past Arthur but Arthur held him back. _I really need to get inside. She's getting restless._ Merlin thought.

"No Merlin. You may sleep after you tell me what's wr-" Arthur glanced at the small object in Merlin's grasp. "Merlin. Is that a baby?"

"Hmm..." Merlin responded. _What am I going to tell him?_ Merlin didn't have to tell Arthur anything because as if on time the bundle awoke again and let out a small wail. "Yes." Merlin gulped.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked accusingly "Why, pray tell, do you have a _baby_?"

"Well I can't leave her. I am her father after all!" Merlin said, quite taken aback. _Isn't he allowed to be a father?_ Arthur looked shocked.

"And where exactly did it come from?" Arthur asked with an eyebrow raised, so high that he could rival Gaius.

"Well. When a daddy warlock and a mummy druid love each other very much-" Merlin started.

"No Merlin. That's not what I meant. I mean, who would want to carry your child?" Arthur stated with a suppressed snicker.

"What about my wife, Arthur? She would be willing to carry my daughter for me." Merlin said looking very unimpressed at Arthur's comments. Arthur almost choked on his cough.

"Wife?" Arthur managed to choke out.

"Yes Arthur. My wife. The woman that I married over a year ago. The woman that carried my child for 9 months." Merlin said slowly, as if he were talking to a child.

"When did you have time to do all _that?"_ Arthur asked, gesturing to the baby, swaddled and embraced close to Merlin's chest, near his heart. "I mean you have been gone for almost an entire year, save twelve weeks that you spent with us."

Merlin responded looking very _unimpressed_ at the _king_ of Camelot.

"Yes Arthur I was gone for most of the year. Where exactly did you think I was spending that time?" He asked eyebrows raised further than Arthur's.

"For the king of Camelot, you are a prat from time to time." Arthur's mouth formed an 'o' shape as he realized. Merlin continued.

"Yes Arthur. Whilst you were her nurturing your pregnant wife I was out there looking after mine. The first week I left I proposed and married. the next visit I discovered she was with child. I looked after her most of the time. I built us a small house by a lake. After the 9 months I helped her bring our precious daughter into this world. This is Destiny and she is 3 months old." Merlin lifted the blanket encasing the small child to sow Arthur. There was no mistaking that this was Merlin's child, with the dark hair, blue eyes and pale skin. It was all there. He gasped at the small girl, who he was certain was going to grow up to be a beauty, perhaps even enough to sway his own son. But that would be a long way into the future.

Arthur swung his arm over Merlin's shoulder and walked towards the castle entrance. It would take some time to get used to the changed in both of their lives, but they could work together to help in their new found fatherhood. As they walked into the entrance Arthur noticed that the moon was starting to set and the sun was starting the rise opposite it. The sunrise was stunning. More beautiful than he had ever laid his eyes upon. It was signalling that a new ere was being brought to Camelot, to Albion and it went by the name Destiny.


End file.
